The concept of great leadership is one of the most often discussed — and least understood — workplace topics. We may recognize certain people as exceptional leaders when we see them in action, yet have a difficult time pinpointing what it is that they do differently or better.
Adding to the confusion about what separates leaders from the pack are a number of prevailing misconceptions about which traits add to leadership prowess and which detract from it. Here are 10 myths about what it takes to truly lead:
Myth: Leaders know it all. Many assume that leaders must have more insight about the industry, as well as specific strategies and tactics, than those who report to them. Not so. In fact, the best leaders hire people who are better than them, says Aaron Skonnard, CEO of the online profession training company Pluralsight. “This strategy in a sense ‘unlocks’ the entire organization to continue evolving in a much faster and healthier way,” he wrote in Inc.
Leadership coach Jené Kapela agrees that the best leaders rely on their employees to share expertise and leverage that shared knowledge when making decisions. “The leader’s role in the workplace is to set future direction, inspire those who work there to achieve these goals and engage employees, so they are happy and produce their best work,” Kapela says.
Myth: Leaders have to be liked. Likability and powerful leadership do not necessarily go hand in hand. High-achieving women in particular often come out with lower likability scores when they are successful as leaders, particularly when they are perceived to behave in ways that violate gender stereotypes.
Instead of being viewed in a popularity contest, leaders should strive to be respected and trusted. “People confuse likability with trustworthiness,” says Karen D. Walker, president and principal consultant of Oneteam Inc. “A leader doesn’t have to be a friend; a leader has to be someone whose judgment you trust and whose opinions you respect.”
Myth: Leaders are only found at the top. In traditional organizations, leaders are thought to be the ones at the top of the pyramid: C-level executives, supervisors, managers and directors. But leaders can be found throughout organizations, and people at all levels can hone their leadership skills to have significant, positive impacts on those around them.
Today, some forward-thinking organizations strive to be “bossless,” empowering all employees to serve as leaders in some capacity. Gravity Payments operates this way, believing that some of the best innovation comes from those who aren’t necessarily in a typical leadership position. “Everyone at Gravity must be a leader,” says Hayley Vogt, marketing content coordinator at Gravity. “We want everyone here to be the CEO of their project, job and life. If they find something that needs to be fixed, it is their responsibility to fix it. There isn’t a lot of process here and not a lot of hierarchy, which has empowered our employees to do great things.”
Myth: Leaders must be extroverts. Being born extroverted may give you a leg up in landing a leadership position, because you speak up and engage with larger groups more readily. But Todd Dewett, president of TVA Inc., points out that there are many successful introverted leaders. too. “Speaking up and engaging the situation are skills anyone can learn,” says Dewett.
Nancy Martini, president and CEO of PI Worldwide, agrees that while extroverts are more likely to be attracted to leadership positions, they don’t make better leaders than introverts, because introverts bring their own set of advantages to the table. “Introverted leaders thrive by validating initiative and listening carefully to suggestions,” she says. “Doug Conant, the former president and CEO of Campbell’s Soup, is an introvert who has been celebrated for writing more than 30,000 personalized thank-you notes to his employees. It’s hard to imagine an extrovert doing that.”
Myth: Leaders are born, not made. While some people seem to naturally possess leadership qualities, such as charisma and vision, effective leadership is based on a number of traits you can develop with patience and focus. “Leadership is often characterized as an innate trait — you’ve got it, or you don’t,” says Elle Kaplan, CEO and founding partner of LexION Capital Management. “Leadership, however, can be learned. It relies largely on confidence, and confidence is a leadership skill that can be learned, practiced and implemented effectively.”
Leadership consultant Peter Barron Stark believes becoming a great leader is 10 percent genetics and 90 percent hard work. “I recently saw a teenager with a severe developmental disability give a speech,” Stark says. “At the end of his presentation, about 50 people walked up to this kid and volunteered to help him advance his cause. Anyone can be a leader, but it takes the willingness to take a risk, continue learning and work hard.”
Robin Madell has spent more than two decades as a corporate writer, journalist and communications consultant on business, leadership, career, health, finance, technology and public-interest issues. She serves as a copywriter, speechwriter and ghostwriter for executives and entrepreneurs across diverse industries. Madell has interviewed more than 200 thought leaders around the globe, winning 20 awards for editorial excellence. She served on the board of directors of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association in New York and San Francisco. Madell is the author of “Surviving Your Thirties: Americans Talk About Life After 30” and co-author of “The Strong Principles: Career Success.” You can reach her at robin.madell@gmail.com.
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The Top 5 Myths About Leadership originally appeared on usnews.com